When the starter gets hot on my wifes 02 Sportsman 500 the starter will just spin. It works fine when its cold or been sitting for a little while but if you just shut it off for 10 min or so you have to kinda double tap the key to get it to engage. Any ideas??

Thanks

 

Sounds like a starter solenoid to me. My guess is the internal relay has an open in the coil when its hot and as it cools the windings slowly shrink until the open goes away. All the wiring check out ok?

 

I thought about the solenoid too but it seemed to me that if it wasnt working right it woundnt even try to engage the starter. Its almost like when its hot the drive is sticking. I may have to just take the starter apart, do they have a magnetic engagement system (like a General Motors starter) or something else. If it is like the GM starter then it may be the solenoid because the solenoid and engaging magnet are the same unit.

 

I honestly don't know what the starter /solenoid setup is like but it sounds like your gonna have to take it apart anyways. Maybe a good cleaning will fix it. Only disassembly will solve the riddle.

 

I agree, just thought someone here had seen it before.

 

Where in Colorado you at ? I just left Gunnison 2 weeks ago. Was doing V22 flight testing up there. Now I'm in Amarillo! Give me Gunnison any day. BTW, grew up in Denver.

 

Im in Parker just south of Denver. I love Colorado, grew up in Ft Collins.